Flying

In 2006, Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) introduced the Premier IA to near-universal acclaim: Here was a composite-fuselage light jet that could be flown single-pilot at speeds up to 450 knots with a near-standup cabin with room for six to seven passengers and a range of nearly 1,500 nautical miles, depending on load.

Production models of Gulfstream’s new, near-supersonic flagship G650–which received FAA certification on September 7–have been rolling off the assembly line and winging their way to completion centers. The manufacturer expects to have the $64.5 million, 7,000-nautical-mile-range bizjet into the hands of customers before the end of this year.

Its futuristic lines seduce, its rate of climb and speed exhilarate and its operating economics spell savings. The Piaggio Avanti vastly outperforms all other turboprops and noses past some light jets. It’s a 400-knot rocket with a near stand-up cabin that has the cross section of a midsize jet. There’s comfortable seating for six passengers aft of the cockpit and the airplane has a seats-full range of 980 nautical miles. Fly with two fewer passengers and range increases to 1,300 nautical miles. Considering that the design of this twin-engine turboprop pusher is 30 years old, this is nothing short of amazing. The fact that barely 200 are flying after all these years is perplexing.

When it comes to outfitting a new airplane or refurbishing an old one, technology almost invariably­ tops the list of customer concerns. And no wonder: Innovation is happening at a faster clip than ever before, and buyers now face a dazzling array of choices.

CEOs who are also pilots may be more successful leaders. That’s the conclusion of a study by Matthew Cain, assistant professor of finance at Notre Dame, and Stephen McKeon, assistant professor of finance at the University of Oregon.

Parents–take heart. Gama Group has introduced an infant safety seat specifically for flying. The lightweight FAA-certified seat is designed to complement all business jet configurations and will also work in any class of airline seat.

Every ingredient in this dish–duck, blueberries and Indian wild rice–comes from local sources, said Kristen Wasyliszyn, owner and chef at Atiki’s Flight Catering. Wasyliszyn lightly rubs the duck with hazelnut oil for a subtle, nutty flavor and broasts it in high heat to render the outside crisp while the inside remains tender and moist. The blueberries are reduced slowly and the chef adds drippings from the broasting pan, along with a touch of cognac.

Years ago, I flew my small airplane to visit my sister. She was shooting photos at a three-day equestrian event at a friend’s private horse farm. When it came time for me to leave, she asked the host’s son if he could drive me back to the airport. When he said, “What time’s your flight?” I paused, smiled and replied, “Whenever I get there, I guess.

The last decade’s boom days for fractional shares and jet cards made traditional air charter seem almost old-fashioned–and unreliable, as the charter fleet was often busy meeting overflow demand from fractional and card programs. Then the economy tanked and the upfront and hourly costs of those programs rendered them less appealing than charter to many flyers. In the few years since, innovations such as one-way pricing and guaranteed access have made charter look even more attractive.

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“Let me be straight with you. What I'd rather have is an airplane. We just had a third kid. I don't like flying commercial. I like to take my family to Hawaii. When I go east, I'd like to have pilots I know.
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